Machine for packing celery bunches in trenches



July 17, 1951 A. TOWE 2,560,750

MACHINE FOR PACKING CELERY BUNCHES IN TRENCHES Filed Dec. 6, 1947 IN VENTOR. AR l lL 722m? ATTORNEY Patented July 17, 1951 UNITED TATJES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR-PACKING. CELERY'BUNCH'ES 'IN TRENCHES Arvil Towe, Mountain Grove, M0.

"Application December 6, 1947; Serial N 0. 790,155

i Claims.

1 "This invention relatestowhat might be termed a celery-plunger. "In the production of pascal" celeryythe celeryplants-are grown to substantially 'fullmaturityinbunches. These bunches are then; placed'in alongstraight trench in the trench by hand, andeach bunchis kicked against the bunches-already in-the trench to pack the bunches tightly therein. This is a rather slow, tedious, and tiresome process.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a machine which will push each incomingbunch'of celery against the otherbunches the trench, and which will utilize the push ing reaction to drive the machine along the trench, thus eliminating the manual labor and insuring a uniform pressure"on,'and a close packing 0f, the bunches.

Other objects and advantages re's ide in 'the detail construction *of the invention, which designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. Thes'ewill become more "apparent from"'th'e"'following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the improved celery plunging machine, illustrating it in place in a curing trench, with the near wheel removed for illustrative purposes;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof and Fig. 3 is a detail, cross-section, taken on the line 33, Fig. 2.

In the drawings, the ground surface is indicated at IT, and a celery curing trench is indicated at I6.

The invention comprises a substantially rectangular, horizontal frame In supported upon a pair of rear wheels II and a single front guide wheel I2. The rear wheels II are widely spaced from the frame It) upon axle brackets I3 and ride upon the ground surface II at each side of the trench I6. The front wheel is carried in a fork I4 which is rotatably mounted in a sleeve I5 welded or otherwise secured to the front 'of the frame I0.

A guiding yoke I8 is hinged to the fork I4 and extends forwardly therefrom. The yoke hasa width substantially equal to the "width of the trench I6. The fork I4 has a length sufiioient to place the front wheel I2 on'the bottomo'f the trench I6 whenthe frame It] is in asubstantially horizontal position thereover.

The rear wheels II are at an elevation to ride upon the ground surface I! when the frame II) is horizontal. As the machine moves forward, the yoke I8 engages the sides of the trench 'and guides the front wheel I2' along the middle of the trench.

A celery boX I9 consisting of two sidesrand a bottom and havinganopentop, front, andback,

:trench I6 sothatit'may be drawntherealong. A

plunger plate 22 is reciprccally mounted in the -boxlil. The. plunger is fixedly mounted on the rearward extremities of the tWo reciprocating guide rods 23. The rods 23 slide in guide sleeves 24, which are welded or otherwise secured to the linne'rfaces of the 'two sides of the box I9.

The plunger plate 22"isreciprocated by means of a connecting rod 25 which extends from a hinge clip 26 on the plunger plate forwardly and upwardly to a crank on a crank shaft 27. The crank shaft 21 is mounted in bearing boxes 28 on the frame I0 and is rotated from a suitable gas engine 29 through any type,of speed reduction mechanism.

The speed reduction mechanism employed in the embodiment illustrated comprises a counter-shaft 30 carrying belt pulleys 3|. The crank shaft 21 also carries a belt pulley 32. Endless belts 33 extend between the pulleys and round a drive pulley 34 on the engine 2'9 to transmit rotating power to the crank shaft 21 at reduced speed.

In use, the front wheel I2 and the box I9 are placed in the trench I6, with the wheels I I spanning the trench. The engine is started and a celery bunch, indicated at 35, is dropped in the box I9 to the rear of the plunger plate 22. Rotation of the crank shaft causes the plunger plate to push this bunch rearwardly against the packed celery bunches in the trench. The reaction of the rearward push causes the entire machine to move forward a distance equal to the width of 3 that bunch of celery. The plunger plate 22 then again moves forward and another bunch of celery is dropped behind it and is similarly pushed against the aligned, packed celery. This operation continues throughout the entire length of the row.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for packing celery in a trench, comprising: a supporting frame; wheels supporting said frame above said trench; a U-shaped box riding in said trench; hinged link members connecting said box with said frame; a plunger positioned to travel longitudinally of said box; means for reciprocating said plunger; and guiding means on the forward extremityof said frame, said guiding means riding in said trench to guide the frame along the trench at each reciprocation of said plunger.

2. A device for packing celery in a trench, comprising: a substantially horizontal frame; a rear axle member extending across said frame; a rear wheel at each extremity of said axle adapted to travel upon the ground surface at each side of said trench to support the rear extremity of said frame; a front wheel fork rotatably mounted beneath the forward extremity of said frame; a front wheel mounted in said fork and adapted to ride in the bottom of said trench; means extending from said fork into contact with the side walls of said trench for guiding said front wheel along said trench; a celery-receiving box positioned in the bottom of said trench below said frame, said box having an open top and an open rear end; a plunger arranged to move longitudinally of said box to force celery bunches from said open rear end; and means carried by said frame for reciprocating said plunger.

'3. A device for packing celery in a trench, comprising: a substantially horizontal frame; a rear axle member extending across said frame; a rear wheel at each extremity of said axle adapted to travel upon the ground surface at each side of said trench to support the rear extremity of said frame; a front wheel fork rotatably mounted beneath the forward extremity of said frame; a front wheel mounted in said fork and adapted to ride in the bottom of said trench; means extending from said fork into contact with the side walls of said trench for guiding said front wheel along said trench; a celeryreceiving box positioned in the bottom of said trench below said frame, said box having an open top and an open rear end; a plunger arranged to move longitudinally of said box to force celery bunches from said open rear end; connecting means suspending said box from said frame so that the former will move with the latter; a crank shaft on said frame; a connecting rod between said crank shaft and said plunger to reciprocate the latter; and means carried by said frame for rotating said crank shaft.

4. A device for packing celery in a trench, comprising: a substantially horizontal frame; a

' rear axle member extending across said frame;

a rear wheel at each extremity of said axle adapted to travel upon the ground surface at each side of said trench; a steerable front wheel on said frame adapted to ride in the bottom of said trench; means connected with said front wheel and adapted to contact the side walls of said trench for guiding said front wheel along said trench; a celery-receiving box positioned in the bottom of said trench below said frame, said box having an open top and an open rear end; a plunger arranged to move longitudinally of said box to force celery bunches from said open rear end; connecting means suspending said box from said frame so that the former will move with the latter; guide means in said box for supporting and guiding said plunger; a crank shaft rotatably mounted on said frame; a connecting rod extending from said crank shaft to said plunger; and means carried by said frame for rotating said crank shaft.

ARVIL TOWE.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Wallick Sept. 23, 1919 Number 

